Photographic roll paper holder



Oct. 5, 1965 A. SIMMON ETAL PHOTOGRAPHIC ROLL PAPER HOLDER 5Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 16, 1962 FIG.6.

INVENTORS.

Oct. 5, 1965 A. SIMMON ETAL PHOTOGRAPHIC ROLL PAPER HOLDER 5Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 16, 1962 or" INVENTORJ 5/MMO/Yana7 Oct. 5,1965 A. SIMMON ETAL PHOTOGRAPHIC ROLL PAPER HOLDER 5 Sheets-Sheet 4INVENTORS. HA FEED 5/M/V/0/V l1,167

Filed April 16, 1962 United States Patent 3,209,644 PHOTOGRAPHIC ROLLPAPER HOLDER Alfred Simmon, Garden City, and Louis L. Weisglass, NewYork, N.Y., 'assignors to Simon Brothers, Inc., Long Island City, N.Y.,a corporation of New York Filed Apr. 16, 1962, Ser. No. 187,734 Claims.(Cl. 88-24) This invention relates to photo-reproduction apparatus, andmore particularly to means and method of making successive exposures onphotosensitive strips.

In its general aspect, the invention proposes a means and method bywhich a photofinisher can make a large number of prints in rapidsuccession as successive frames on a photo-sensitive strip.

Somewhat more specifically, the invention provides a means and methodfor obtaining rapid advancement and at the same time an accurateplacement of the sensitized strip at its position for exposure.

-As it is a prerequisite for the sensitized strip to be stationaryduring the moments of exposure, the invention contemplates braking meansfor quickly stopping the strip in its precise position at which exposureis to be made.

The invention also includes means for relieving the section of stripwhere exposure is being made, from effects of momentum of the rotationof the reels and rolls or from strain of reeling or unreeling the strip.

It is also an included part of the invention to avoid any influence ofthe varying diameter of the rolls in the spacing between framesreproduced on the strip.

\Another object of the invention is to accommodate adjustment fordifferent length of strip both as to frame dimension and as to spacingbetween the pictures reproduced.

A further attained objective of the invention is to en- .alble theapparatus to accommodate strips of desired Width, and to mount the stripso as to be readily introduced and removed.

In greater detail, structure is provided for automatically controllingthe reeling and unreeling of the strip by variation in slack developingbetween the reel and the station of exposure.

Another feature of the invention is to keep the strip in perfect feedingposition, without lateral deviation, in approach to and location at theexposure station.

An important feature of the invention is to provide improved marking andmeasuring means for the successive frames whereby the marking isutilized to obtain both braking action and precise sudden stopping ofthe strip when advanced the measured distance, by provision of two pairsof contacts successively engaged by the marking applied to the strip.

An essential feature of the invention is to utilize said pairs ofcontacts and the marking on the strip merely as controls for gridpolarities of thyratrons and thereby avoid use of said markings forconveying currents which might be detrimental to said strip.

As a corollary to the foregoing object, provision is made to assureengagement of said marking with said pairs of contacts.

Other objects, advantages and novel features in the structure and methodinvolved with the invention will appear to persons skilled in the art towhich it appertains as the description proceeds, both by directrecitation thereof and by implication from the context.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals ofreference indicate similar parts throughout the several views;

FIGURE 1 is a view, showing somewhat schematically, the general assemblyof elements constituting at least a part of the present invention;

O strip. The exposed area of 3,209,644 Patented Oct. 5, 1965 FIGURE 2 isa plan of a portion .of the light sensitive face of the photo-sensitivestrip, including an indication of several frames having been madesuccessively as occurs in the operation of the apparatus;

FIGURE 3 is an underneath view of said strip showing electricallyconductive line-marking as having been applied thereto while the stripprogressed in operation;

FIGURE 4 is a plan of a single frame cut from the strip as a finaloperation in providing, for the customer, an individual picture withprecise dimensions of border;

FIGURE 5 is what may be termed a front elevation, without presence ofthe light-protective housing, of the head portion of the apparatus,which is that portion of the apparatus where the photo-sensitive stripis located when at its reproduction station, and where it is held tautand given a step-by step or indexing motion with interven ing stationaryperiods while being subjected to light exposure; I 7

FIGURE 6 is a plan of said head portion of FIG. 5;

FIGURE 7 is a front elevation of the magazine portion of the apparatusshowing the reels and elevator controls therefor, it being noted thatthe head portion of FIG. 5 is, in the complete apparatus, superposed atbottom line A-A thereof upon top line A-A of the magazine portion ofFIG. 7, the two figures taken together being a complete elevation butwith outer housing omitted;

FIGURE 8 is an elevation corresponding to a portion of the showing ofFIG. 5, but on enlarged scale, so as to better illustrate theline-marking and regulating means tor positioning the photo-sensitivestrip in its exposure station;

FIGURE 9 is a sectional view on line IXIX of FIG. 8;

FIGURE 10 is a sectional view on line XX of FIG. 8;

FIGURE 11 is a sectional view on line XIXI of FIG. 8;

FIGURE 12 is a sectional view on line XIIXII of FIG. 7;

FIGURE 13 is an elevation of a part of the head portion of the apparatuscorresponding to the showing at the lefthand end of FIG. 5, but onincreased scale t-hereover;

FIGURE 14 is an elevational-section taken on line XIVX IV of FIG. 13;and

FIGURE 15 is a wiring diagram of the circuits and associated elementsemployed in the apparatus.

In the photographic art, it is a prevalent practice for professionalphotofinishers to develop films and make prints of the pictures thereoffor various customers. It has also become the custom to make such printswith a border peripherally thereof, and to be acceptable, the bordermust be of even width on all sides of the picture. During the earlyyears of photofinishing, the use of a mat in a print-frame in which thefilm and sensitized paper were placed produced such a border, butcompetition of the present day requires more speedy operation, and inmost cases requires enlargement of the picture from the size of the filmor other negative.

The present invention provides an apparatus wherein a film 29, herereferred to as the negative, of which a reproduction is desired, isinserted between a source of light 21 and a lens system 22 beyond which,at its station of exposure, is located the photo-sensitive area, usuallysensitized paper, and herein constituted as part of a strip 23 capableof being unrolled from a supply reel 24 and rerolled on a receiving reel25, and therebetween passing through said station of exposure under saidlens system. The individual pictures are utilmately cut apart from saidthe strip for any single picture is such that an unexposed border 26 isprovided peripherally of the picture area 27, as shown in FIG. 4, ex

tending for length L in FIG. 1, and in the following description, thepicture area with its border will be referred to as frame 28. It is anessential feature of the present invention to advance the strip with ameasured length of step-by-step motion and with such precision that theframes can be ultimately severed one from another and leave a border atboth sides of the cut which will be the exact desired width wtihoutfurther trimming.

It will be readily appreciated, in winding a strip onto a roll, that asthe roll increases in diameter, a pro-established angular degree ofrotation will result in an ever increasing length of strip being drawnonto the roll, and consequently it is not practical to govern the lengthof frame by the pull and rotation of a receiving roll. Furthermore, asthe roll enlarges and becomes heavier, its inertia and momentum likewiseincrease and consequently become further deterring factors in trying toutilize rotation of the roll in advancing the strip to its station ofexposure with any definite degree of accuracy.

I More specifically, the invention may be considered as providing amagazine section 29 wherein the unreeling of the strip 23 from supplyreel 24, and rewinding in a roll on the receiving reel 25 is effectedand controlled. In accordance with the invention, the reeling andunreeling is effected without exerting undue pull or tension on thesection of the strip located at the station of exposure under the lenssystem, and without encumbering that section with any effects of inertiaof the rolls and reels. An even tension and advancement of thelast-mentioned section of the strip is effected in what is herein termedthe head portion 30 of the apparatus. Said head portion also providesmeasuring means governing the exact length of frame for positioningduring the pause of the step-by-step motion at the station of exposure,and more fully described hereinafter. i

I An understanding of this feature of the invention can be gained byfirst considering the course taken by the sensitized strip 23 andoperational influences applied thereto. Referring initially to FIG. 1,the strip 23 upon leaving its supply roll 31 in supply reel 24 locatedin magazine section 29, is fed as a downwardly traveling reach 32 to andunder a transitionally mounted roller 33 which, in addition to beingrotatable, tends to gravitate downwardly, and for identificationpurposes will be referred to as a gravitational roller. From saidgravitational roller 33 the strip then extends as an upwardly directedreach 34 at the outer side of said roller at such angle as to pass bythe supply roll 31. Said reaches 32 and 34 form a loop with saidgravitating roller 33 in the bottom smaller end and with said reachesdiverging upwardly. Motion of the strip in the downwardly extendingreach 32 being in a downward direction, it will be obvious that movementof the strip in the other or upwardly extending reach 34 will be in anupward direction.

Said upwardly extending reach 34 introduces the strip 23 into the headportion 30 of the apparatus, where it passes over a guide roller 35 andunder an associated pressure roller 36 to proceed therefrom as ahorizontal reach 37 at a location and for a distance above both thesupply reel 24 and the receiving reel 25. It is a part of thishorizontal reach 37 of the strip 23 that exposure is made on area Bthereof by the light 21 acting through the negative 20 and lens system22 above mentioned, and it is this area that constitutes the exposurestation.

Beyond the exposure station, the horizontal reach 37 passes between anassociated pair of rollers of which the upper one is a pressure roller38 and the under one is an actuating roller 39. The strip 23 bendsdownwardly over the actuating roller 39 to a downward reach 40 andmoving downwardly is thereby introduced again into the magazine section29, clearing receiving reel 25 and making a partial turn around a secondgravitational roller 41 located at a level below the receiving reel sothat the strip will again form a loop by a companion upwardly divergingreach 42, to wind up as a receiving roll 43 on receiving .4 reel 25 withthe last mentioned gravitational roller 41 in the bottom smaller end ofthat loop.

As indicated in FIGS. 7 and 15, the supply reel 24 has a driving motor44 and the receiving reel 25 has a driving motor 45 arranged torespectively turn the reels to unwind the strip from the supply roll 31and to rewind it on the receiving roll 43. By reference to FIG. 12, itwill be seen that driving motor 44 is mounted by legs 46 on the outsideof the apparatus casing wall 47 and has associated therewith a train ofreduction gears 48 connected with and rotating a drive pulley 49 whichin turn, by an interconnecting belt 50, rotates a driven pulley 51 fixedon a shaft 52. Said shaft has bearings 53 rigidly mounted at a distancefrom and on opposite sides of the pulley and casing wall, enabling saidshaft to be of cantilever type so that its inner end which projects aconsiderable distance within the casing will be free to receive supplyreel 24 thereon, a feature conducive to readily loading the apparatuswith fresh rolls of sensitized strips. A thumb screw 54 is shown forfixing the reel on the shaft to rotate in unison therewith. As thedriving motor 45 for the receiving reel, and associated gears, shaft andpulleys are in duplication of those just described for the supply reel,indication of which is evident in FIG. 7, further illustration anddescription will not be indulged in as it is deemed unnecessary to anunderstanding thereof.

Automatic means are provided to cause said reel motors 44, 45 to operateas needed and to discontinue operating under predetermined circumstancesof slack condition of the respective loops of the strip 23 and locationof gravitational rollers 33 and 41. Again referring to FIGS. 7 and 12,the gravitational roller 33 for the supply loop of strip 23 is alsoconveniently of cantilever type so as to readily admit introduction ofthe strip at the free end of the roller in loading the strip in theapparatus. The said gravitational roller 33 is rotatable upon an axle 55which is secured rigidly to an elevator 56. Said elevator provides avertically disposed glider sleeve 57 which is free to slide on anupright track or rod 58, and provides a horizontally disposed basalportion 59 projecting laterally from said glider sleeve and forked atits end remote from said sleeve to ride upon another track or rod 60parallel to and coextensive with the first mentioned rod 58. Engagementof the forked end of said elevator body with the second said rodprevents the elevator from rotating but admits unrestrained verticalmovement of said elevator. Said rods or tracks 58, 60 are fixed at theirupper and lower ends in brackets 61 secured to the casing wall 47. As sofar described, as will be evident from inspection of FIG. 7, thegravitational roller 41 for the loop leading to the receiving roll 43 issimilarly mounted, and corresponding parts are accordingly identified bythe same reference numerals. There is a difference, however, inoperational effect, namely, that gravitational roller 33 in the loopproximate to the supply roll 31 causes an electric switch 62 to openwhen that roller is at its lowermost position, whereas the othergravitational roller 41 in the loop proximate to receiving roll 43causes an electric switch 63 to open when that roller is at itsuppermost position, as will presently be referred to more fully.

It will be remembered that the supply reel 24 is provided with a motor44 which, when driven, unrolls strip 23 from supply roll 31, and therebytends to produce slack in the loop proximate to said supply roll. As aresult of such slack the gravitational roller 33 situated in that looploses height in its support from the loop and gravitates downwardly byvirtue of its own weight and weight of vertically slidable elevator 56on which it is mounted.

Proximate to the lowermost position attainable by said elevator 56 thereis a lever 64 next to one end of which is a pin 65 projecting laterallytherefrom into a position underlying the downward path of movement ofthe elevator. Intermediate the ends of said lever 64 the same is fixedon a rotatable stud shaft 66 supplying pivotal mounting for said lever.

At the other or far end of the lever from said pin, a weight 67 issupplied thereon so that the lever vw'll normally swing to a positionlifting said pin 65 ready to be depressed when the elevator movesdownwardly in engagement therewith. Said stud shaft 66 projects throughcasing wall 47 and at the outside of said wall carries a cam 68 which isoscillated by the shaft in consequence of swinging motion of the lever.In the normal position of the lever, said cam engages aforementionedelectric switch 62 to maintain a closed electric circuit to the supplyreel motor 44, but when the elevator 56 depresses pin 65, the lever andcam are swung and the cam permits the said switch to open so the motorwill stop and further slack in the strip loop is temporarilydiscontinued.

At the other side of magazine section 29, electric switch 63, which isnormally closed, is located proximate to the upper end of the stroke ofelevator 56 on which gravitational roller 41 is mounted. In thisinstance, a lever 69 is provided to be swung from its normal position bylifting engagement of the elevator therewith. It will be observed thatthe elevator is raised to its uppermost position by contraction of theloop of strip 23 having its slack reduced due to the strip winding up onits receiving roll 43 faster than the strip is supplied to the loop fromthe associated pressure and actuating rollers 38, 39 at the end of thehorizontal reach 37.

This said lever 69 is fixed upon a rotatable stud 70 which in thisinstance is proximate to an end of the lever and projects rotatablythrough the casing wall 47. The outwardly projecting end of said stud 70has a cam 71 fixed thereon and directed downwardly toward aforementionedswitch 63 and due to the weight of the lever, said cam normally engagessaid switch to maintain the switch losed and the motor 25 in operation.However, when the slack is so far reduced as to bring the gravitationalroller 41 and its elevator to uppermost position, engagement of theelevator with the lever 69 then takes place and the switch opened. Inthis connection it may be mentioned that the end of the lever whichprojects into the path of movement of the elevator is equipped withantifriction means, such as wheel 72 for engagement with the elevator.This wheel adds to the weight of that end of the lever to help maintainits normally downward position until lifted by the elevator. Also, itmay be said, that since the switch 63 is in series with motor 45 for thereceiving reel, opening of said switch at the upper end of the stroke ofthe elevator, stops the motor and further winding of the strip ceasesuntil more slack is provided in the loop of the strip enabling theroller 41 and its associated elevator 56 to gravitate downwardly andagain cause the switch to close.

Since it has been indicated previously herein that the horizontal reach37 of the strip is advanced by the associated rollers 38, 39 at the endof that reach, it will now be apparent that there is no obligationimposed upon the strip and those rollers to either apply actuating forceto the supply roll 31 or retarding force on the receiving roll 43. Theweight of the gravitational rollers and their elevators sufiices to keepthe strip taut at the horizontal reach without imposing strains offorces to cope with inertia of either the supply roll or the receivingroll which otherwise would occur without presence of the slack andcontrol means described above.

Accurate advancement with a step-by-step motion of the horizontal reach37 of the strip is essential, and includes means for measuring anddesignating the distance for advancement for each step of motion of thestrip, and means for applying braking effect on advancement of the stripas it approaches the designated distance, and means to stop theadvancement precisely at the designated distance. It may be stated as afact, which will be substantiated shortly, that the horizontal reach 37of the strip intermittently stands still, that being a necessarycircumstance in order that it may have the picture from the negativetransmitted thereto for reproduction on the sensitized upper surface ofthe strip without blurring. Following the slowing down of the horizontalreach 37 of the strip by the braking action, said strip is brought to asudden stop at the precise measured distance. It is while the strip isin this state of quietude that the picture is transmitted to the uppersensitized face thereof and at the same time designation is made on theunder face of the strip of a measured distance for its next stepforward.

Furthermore, it may be pointed out at this time, that the horizontalreach 37 of the strip is supported throughout its length on a rigidplaten 73 the top surface of which is in a plane tangential to therollers 35 and 39 over which said strip approaches to and departs fromits horizontal reach. This platen 73 is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 attachedto and resting upon the upper ends of posts 74 the lower ends of whichare attached to and carried by cross members, here shown as tubes 75paralleling said rollers, said cross members in turn being secured attheir ends to side panels 76 of head section 30. At what may be termed,for orienting purposes, the back of said plate, a cut-out 77 is providedtherein by virtue of which a longitudinal margin of a part of thehorizontal reach 37 of the strip overlaps the cut-out, and it is at thisoverlapping part of the strip that the aforementioned designation ofmeasured length is applied to the under face of said strip.

The means for imposing such designation of measured distance comprises,in the present specific disclosure, a marker '78 adjustably located insaid cut-out at the under face of said overlapping margin of the strip,and a depressible anvil 79 thereabove to exert striking pressure at theproper time and place upon the top of the strip so as to create amarking on the under side of the strip. Except when the mark is beingapplied to the strip by a striking blow of the anvil, both the markerand anvil are out of contact from said strip, a small clearance beingsufficient for the marker to keep it from smearing said strip.

Considering the specific showing of this marking mechanism more indetail, FIGS. 5, 6, 8 and 9 in particular show a pair of horizontallydisposed rails 80, 81 the axes whereof lie in .a vertical planeproximate to the back wall 47 of the casing, and mounted thereon infixed position by brackets 82. Slidable ion the upper one, 80, of saidrails is a sleeve 83. Fixed to and depending from the ends of saidsleeve are parallel end plates 84 which are provided with bottom notches85 to ride upon the bottom one, 81, of said rails. At the front edges ofsaid end plates 84 there is a front plate 86 appropriately secured tosaid end plates so that said front plate, end plates and sleeveconstitute a rigid carriage which may be moved horizontally to desiredposition along said rails and retained in such position to whichadjusted for the particular size of frame to be formed on the sensitizedstrip. In order not to complicate the drawings, a set-screw 87 is shownintermediate of the ends of the sleeve adapted to obtain fixation of thesaid carriage in adjusted posit-ion. It is, however, within the scope ofthe invention to employ a worm parallel to the rails, said worm makingthreaded engagement with one of the end plates for both moving andhold-ing the carriage in adjusted position, in a manner corresponding tothe showing of such a worm in US. Patent 1,926,392 of Sept. 12, 1933, toCharles C. Kritzer, entitled Mounting.

On the back of said front plate 86 of the carriage is mounted a motor 88the shaft of which projects forwardly through said front plate and hasfixed thereon a marking element 78, such as a wheel formed of graphiteor other scribing material of electrical conductive characteristic. Asmay be seen in FIG. 9, this marking Wheel lies immediately below themargin of the strip 23, and may be adjusted to proper closeness theretoby adjusting the entire motor up or down on said front plate by virtueof slots 89 in said plate receiving the mounting screws 90 of the motor.

The anvil 79 is carried on a short'end of a lever 91 fulcrumed by pivot92 at the back side of said front plate 86, but wtih the anvil 79protruding forwardly past the plate so as to overlie marking wheel 78.The longer arm of said lever 91 extends downwardly toward and near tothe bottom of said front plate, and is shown terminating with a forkedend. Back of the forked end of said lever there is a rotary solenoid 93,by which is meant a solenoid that, when energized, causes its armatureto rotate through a certain angle. A pin 94 projecting eccentricallyfrom the solenoid armature rides in said forked end of lever 91 and whenthe solenoid is energized said pin has an oscillating motion and therebyswings the lever. The solenoid 93 has slot and screw mounting upon frontplate 86 which enables the solenoid to be adjusted in proper position toapply the desired striking movement and force to anvil 79. In view ofthe differential in length of the arms of lever 91, the movement ofanvil 79 is less distance than movement of the solenoid pin 94, but thestriking force is increased. Activation of the solenoid is timed tocause the anvil to strike strip 23 while the strip is at rest, and sincethe marker 78 is rotating, a deposit of the graphite or other markingmaterial Will be applied as a short single line mark 95 on the undersurface of the margin of the strip in exact correspondence to the underedge of the anvil. To avoid stopping the motor 88 due to frictionintroduced by the striking engagement of the anvil with the stationarystrip, a fly-wheel 96 may be mounted on the rear end of the motor shaft.

7 It will be understood from the foregoing description, that forwardtravel of the horizontal reach 37 of strip 23 is obtained by rotation ofactuating roller 39 at the forward end of said horizontal reach, andthat there is a motor 97 which applies the rotational actuation of saidroller 39. While inherently the type of this motor 97 may be chosen asdesired by the manufacturer, it is preferred to use a so-called shadedpole motor because it is readily available on the market and isinexpensive.

, As the horizontal reach 37 of strip 23 approaches position at which itis to be stopped, the actuating motor 97 is first slowed down and thenstopped at the precise position of the measured length, use being madeof the electrical conductivity of line marking 95 that was previouslymade at the last stationary situation of the strip. For this purpose,two pairs of triggering contacts 98, 98' and 99, 99 are provided underthe margin of the strip, and as the line marking 95 arrives at the firstpair 98, 98, a triggering circuit is completed by the conductive markingthrough the contacts of that pair, the effect of which, as hereafterexplained, slows actuating motor 97. Pr-omptly thereafter, theconductive marking arrives in bridging engagement with the second pairof triggering contacts 99, 99' and completes a triggering circuit whichstops the motor immediately, and the strip stands still. While thusstanding still, the strip again receives the next marking from thegraphite marker element 78, and the distance from the first mark to thesecond is the precise desired measured length L in FIG. 1 for the frame28. By properly setting the carriage with its marking apparatus on itsrails 80, 81, successive pictures can be made on strip 23 with the exactdistance therebetween to give a proper width of border when the strip issevered subsequently midway between the pictures. If larger pictures areto be made, the carriage is adjusted further to the right and a roll ofwider strip substituted for the narrow one shown. It will also be notedthat the supporting platen 73 for the horizontal reach 37 of the strip,and the several rollers in engagement with the strip, are wide enough toaccommodate strips of considerable width and much wider than theparticular strip illustrated. In any event, however, the line marking 95always occurs at the margin of said strip no matter what width of stripis employed.

Actuating motor '97 for the actuating roller 39 is located at least inpart beneath said roller as may be seen in FIG. 14, but to avoidconfusion, has been omitted from appearing in FIG. 6. As clearly evidentin FIG.14, the armature shaft 100 of said motor has a pinion 101thereon, and actuating roller 39 also is equipped with a pinion 102driven by a train of gears 103 for producing the desired rapidity offorward movement of the horizontal reach 37 of the strip. Aligned withand coupled at 104 to armature shaft 100 of motor 97 at the opposite endfrom said pinion 101 is an armature shaft 105 of a shadedpole motor 106,the field of which is energized, as will subsequently appear inconsidering the electric circuits involved, by direct current ratherthan alternating current, so as to function as a brake. Control of thecircuit to this brake motor 106 is effected through the conductive linemarking 95 on the under side of the strip coming to and engaging thefirst pair of contacts 98, 98', and forthwith speed of the actuatingmotor 97 is retarded and in consequence the forward movement of thehorizontal reach 37 is slowed down to such an extent that when said linemarking 95 reaches and completes the circuit between the second pair ofcontacts 99, 99 the actuating motor will be stopped as will becomeapparent by subsequent explanation of the electrical circuits involved.

Attention may be given at this point to the physical construction hereshown for said triggering contacts 98, 98', and 99, 99' with referenceto the showing thereof in FIGS. 8 and 11. As the first pair of contacts98, 98 are spaced from but behind the second pair 99, 99' in sectionalview of FIG. 11, but are identical therewith as will be apparent fromFIG. 8, specific description of the one pair is deemed sufiicient for afull understanding. Said contacts are made of adequately rigid flatmetal positioned upright with the flat sides toward and parallel to eachother but with the two said contacts of the pair held apart by anintervening layer 107 of insulation. The major portion of the uprightlengths of said contacts, together with said intervening layer 107 ofinsulation, are mounted in an insulating block 108 which, forconvenience of manufacture and assembly may be of two-piece constructionheld together by a screw 109. Said block is conveniently carried infixed position by attachment with a screw 110 to a horizontally bent tab111 formed from the rail-supporting bracket 82. It will be noted thatthe planes of said contacts are transverse to line marking 95 of thestrip and arranged so that said line marking comes into juxtaposition tothe two contacts of the pair simultaneously. The upper ends of saidcontacts protrude above said block 108 toward said strip margin, andpreferably slope upwardly in direction of movement of the strip so thatthe line marking on the strip will engage the said contacts at the peaksof said slopes and thereby very accurately trigger the electric circuit.The lower ends of the triggering contacts project below said block 108and are bent thereunder away from each other to provide feet 112 whichwill limit upward displacement of the said triggering contacts. Onecontact, as 98 and 99' or each pair of said contacts has an individualleaf-spring 113 at the under side of the block bearing against the underend and foot of the respective contact, whereas a single leafspring 114common to the other ones, 98 and 99, of the contacts of the two pairsengages under the feet 112 of both thereof. The common spring 114functions as an electric in-lead to the two contacts engaged thereby,whereas the other two contacts 98' and 99' has an individual in-leadconstituted by the individual spring 113 thereto.

In order to assure good electrical contact of the line marking 95 withthe peaks of the sloping upper ends of said triggering contacts, aswinging depresser 115 is provided and adapted to be brought down uponthe upper surface of the strip directly above all of said contacts 98,98, 99 and 99'. Preferably said depresser is made of nylon or the like,and the under face provides ribs 116 which will register with the endsof the said contacts, the strip of course intervening, when saiddepresser is swung to its downward position. Such downward swinging ofthe depresser is performed when the line-marking is directly over saidcontacts, and firm engagement of said line-marking with said contacts isthereby assured. The depresser 115 is under operational control of arotational solenoid 117 adjustably mounted by slot and screw attachmentto a bracket 118 so as to apply desired pressure upon the strip at theproper time interval. Current to the depresser solenoid 117 is suppliedduring conductive period of a thyratron 248 identified subsequently indescribing the electrical circuits involved. It may be added here,however, that current to said solenoid 117 is applied simultaneouslywith discontinuance of current to the strip actuating motor 97, saidcurrent to the solenoid continuing until the picture exposure iscompleted at which time the circuit to the solenoid is interrupted andthe swinging depresser 115 returns to its lifted position illustrated inFIG. 10.

It is important, not only to assure proper width of border 26 atlongitudinal opposite edges of strip 23, but to also assure that themargin with the line marking 95 thereunder shall track correctly, thatthe strip be kept in a straight path as it advances along the horizontalreach 37. For accomplishment of this purpose, as best shown in FIGS. and6, said pressure rollers 36 and 38 are not precisely parallel to therollers 35 and 39 respectively thereunder with which they cooperate, butare slightly askew, the amount being somewhat exaggerated in the drawingso as to make the fact of non-paralleisrn more apparent. The skew angle,or angle of obliquity, of said pressure rolls is in such direction as tocreate a tendency in the strip to shift toward the rear of thehorizontal platen 73 on which it is sliding. At the back edge of saidplaten, projecting upwardly therefrom so as to be engaged by the rearedge of the strip, are guide lugs 119 which are preferably of nylon orother suitable material of low frictional resistance to the strip andnon-injurious to said strip. The strip will be caused, therefore, toride at its rear edge against said guide lugs and as a consequence willbe maintained in a straight path constantly.

According to the present showing, mounting and disposition of thepressure rollers 36 and 38 are alike for both of said rollers, so asingle desription will sufiice. At each end of each pressure roller, thesame is trunnioned in one end portion of an arm 120 the other end ofwhich is pivotally carried by a rod 121 parallel to the roller, thuspermitting the arms and presure roller to be pressed downwardly to keepsaid roller in contact with the strip. The end of the pivot rod 121toward the back of the apparatus is engaged in a hole of equal sizethereto in the rear panel member 76 of head portion 30 of the apparatus,and therefore is relatively fixed. The other end of the said pivot rod121 toward the front of the apparatus is engaged in a hole of equal sizethereto in a bracket 123, here shown as a fiat plate, located fiatwiseof and at the front of the front panel member 76 of head portion 30.This bracket 123 is pivoted, as at 125, near a bottom corner thereof,and at a distance from the pivot has a slot 126 receiving a screw 127therethrough for clamping said bracket in adjusted position to obtainproper skewed engagement of the pressure roller with the strip. Springpressure'is also provided for the pressure roller, for which purposeeach arm 120 intermediate of the pressure roller and pivoting of the armon rod 121, has a lateral spur 128 projecting therefrom parallel to saidroller and carrying one end of a leaf-spring 129 the other end of whichcrosses over said pivot rod 121. Above the springs, extending from andmounted in the rear panel member 122, to said bracket 123 at the frontpanel member 124, is a rotatable rod 130. Pressure screws 131 extenddownwardly through this rotatable rod 130 and make engagement with andmedially of the lengths of said leaf-springs 129. When desired, as forinstance when inserting a new strip 23 between the rollers, saidrotatable rod 130 may be turned, thereby removing the engagement of thepressure screws from said leaf-springs. A crank arm 132 10 is fixed onsaid rotatable rod to make rotation thereof more convenient andcooperating with said screws to produce a toggle action for retainingthe screws in compressing engagement against the springs while theapparatus is in operation.

Considering now the electrical circuits involved in connection with theabove-described apparatus and method, attention will be given primarilyto FIG. 15 wherein use is made of current from a usual commercial A.C.source of electricity rated at about 115 volts and 60 cycles, anddesignated in the drawing by numeral 199 and feeding main circuit wiresor bus bars 200, 201 in the apparatus. Current derived from said busbars feeds the primary coil 202 of a transformer 203, which has twosecondaries 204 and 205. One of these secondaries, as 204, feeds afull-wave tube rectifier 206 from which is obtained a high DC. voltage(approximately 280 volts) feeding to a first pair of auxiliary negativeand positive bus bars 207, 208 respectively, between which is provided acapacitor 209. Use for this high voltage output will appear laterherein. The other said secondary 205 of transformer 203 is shown feedinga Wheatstone bridge type of rectifier 210 the output of which is low DCvoltage (approximately 22 volts) which is fed to a second pair ofauxiliary bus bars 211, 212 between which is provided a capacitor 213.This low voltage is used for current supply to the marker anvil solenoid79, to the depresser solenoid 117, and to brake motor 106.

Also fed from the main bus bars 200, 201 is a conventional time switch214, available on the market so not specifically described here, exceptto say it is connected to the enlarger lamp or light source 21 andprovides a push button 215 for the operator to depress to energize thelamp and obtain exposure of the sensitized strip 23 at the exposurestation for the preselected time duration.

A coil of a first relay 216 is connected in parallel with said lightsource or lamp 21. This first relay has an armature 217 that normallycloses on contact 218 to a line 219 to main bus 201, and by line 220through a condenser 221 and rectifier 222 to the other main bus 200, inconsequence of which said condenser 221 is normally charged. At thestart of an exposure, current prevails in lines 223, 224 to lamp 31, andby parallel lines 225, 226 therefrom to the coil of relay 216 that relayis energized, thereby causing armature 217 to break contact withnormally closed contact 218 and to complete circuit with another butnormally open contact 227 of said first relay 216 to a second relay 228by way of wire 229. The other end of the coil of this second relay 228has connection through aforementioned condenser 221 and line 220 withsaid armature 217 of the said first relay 216, so that said condenser221 then discharges and excites the said second relay 228. This secondrelay 228 has an armature 230 which, when activated by said condenserdischarge, closes on normally open contact 231 thereof and completescircuit in a line 232 between low voltage bus 212 and the anvil solenoid93, causing the anvil to descend and strike strip 23. The other end ofthat solenoid coil is connected by wire 233 to the other low-voltage bus211. Since this circuit to activate the anvil solenoid 93 is dependentupon condenser discharge, which is brief, the anvil 79 makes its strikeand immediately returns to its upward non-engaging position.

Mention may be here interposed, that the marker motor 38 is constantlyrotated by current supplied thereto through lines 234, 235 connectedrespectively to main bus bars 200, 201. Therefore, whenever the anvilmakes its strike, the marker element 78 is rotating and the singlelinemarking will be applied to the under face of strip 23.

Previously mentioned lines 225 and 226 feeding from and in parallel tothe lamp lines 223 and 224 respectively beyond connections thereof tofirst relay 216 are shown with one, as 225, continuing as a shunt line236 containing a condenser 237 at the other side of which is connected aline 238 having one-way rectifier 239 interposed between it and saidline 226 from the other lamp line 224,

so that while the lamp line is receiving current, said condenser 237 isbeing charged. Said line 238 from the said condenser 237 and one-wayrectifier 239 feeds to a third relay 240 the other wire 241 to whichleads back to another contact 242 of the first relay 216 and is normallyclosed by another armature 243 provided by said first relay, saidarmature 243 being in electrical connection with line 236 and condenser237. While current is being fed from the lamp line 223, 224 to energizethe first relay 216, the second described armature 243 is opened fromcontact 242 and as a result, the current in the lamp line, via lines 225and 236 to one side of condenser 237, and via line 226 and one-wayrectifier 239 to the other side thereof, charges the condenser. Afterthe exposure period is completed and current to the lamp linediscontinued by operation of timer 214, the first relay 216 becomesde-energized and consequently second armature 243 closes to contact 242completing the condenser circuit through wire 236, armature 243, contact242, wire 241 to the coil of aforementioned third relay 240 and back tocondenser 237 by line 238. As a result, the condenser discharges andmomentarily attracts armature 244 to said third relay 240 and breakscircuit with contact 245 thereof to which high voltage is supplied byway of line 246 from auxiliary positive bus bar 208.

The circuit includes first and second thyratrons 247,

248 respectively, the plate current to which is derivedthroughabove-described armature 244 and contact 245 of the third relay 240.Interruption of the plate current by opening said armature from itscontact, makes certain that the thyratrons are then and thereafter in anonconductive state until the next film exposure impends.

The plate circuit to the thyratrons 247, 248 from said armature 244 ofthe third relay is carried therefrom in common or parallel lines 249 tocorresponding ends of coils of fourth and fifth relays 250, 251 with theother ends of the coils having wire connections 252, 253 to the anodes254, 255 respectively of said thyratrons 247, 248. The correspondingcathodes 256, 257 of said thyratrons are in turn connected tointermediate tap points 258, 259 of voltage dividers 260, 261 arrangedbetween the high voltage bus bar 207 and bus bar 208 by way of aresistor 266 and a conductor 208 in continuation of bus bar 208. Thesevoltage dividers 260, 261 are formed each with a resistor 262 or 264which is considerably larger than the companion resistor 263 or 265 ofthe respective voltage dividers, and the larger of said resistors areshown as the ones connected through resistor 266 and continuation line208 to the positive high voltage bus bar 208, whereas the smallerresistors 263, 265 are the ones connected to the high voltage negativebus bar 207. Conseqently said tap points 258 and 259 of the voltagedividers 260, 261, and likewise the thyratron cathodes 256, 257connected thereto, are slightly positive with respect to negative busbar 207. The voltage (approximately 75 volts) across the voltagedividers is determined by above mentioned resistor 266 in seriestherewith, said resistor functioning in conjunction with a gas-filledstabilizer tube 267 in parallel to said voltage dividers which it willbe noted are in parallel to each other. Said stabilizer tube connects tothe continuation conductor 208' of the positive bus bar 208 at point 268and to the negative bus bar 207 at point 269.

Another resistor 270 is in the continuation conductor 208 beyond thevoltage dividers from positive bus bar 208 and further therebeyond saidconductor is secured to the previously described common spring 114engaging one each, namely, 98 and 99, of the contacts of the pairs ofcontacts located beneath the horizontal reach 37 of strip 23. The otherstrip-engaging contact 98' of the first pair has wire connection 271from the individual spring 113 thereof to the grid 272 of the firstthyratron 247, and the other contact 99' of the second pair of contactshas wire connection 273 from the other individual 12 spring 113 thereofto the grid 274 of the second thyratron 248. The grids 272 and 274 ofthe thyratrons are connected also each in series with respectiveresistors 275, 276 to the negative bus bar 207 by wires 277, 278individual to each grid, which results in said grids normally having anegative bias. As the cathodes, as above stated, are somewhat positive,the negative status of the grids of course renders the thyratronsnormally non-conductive. However, as soon as either one of the pairs ofcontacts 98, 98 or 99, 99' is bridged by having the graphite linemarkingon strip 23 engaging the same, the corresponding thyratron grid is thenand thereby connected to the.

positive terminal 268 of the voltage stabilizer tube 267 and thisimmediately renders the corresponding thyratron conductive. Since theplate supply of these thyratrons is furnished by a DC voltage, theyremain conductive even after the grids cease to be positive, until theplate circuit is interrupted by opening the normally closed circuit ofarmature 244 from contact 245 by the previously described condensercharge energizing the coil of the third relay 240.

When the first thyratron 247 is rendered conductive, it causes currentto flow through aforementioned coil of fourth relay 250. This relay hasan armature 27 9 which is normally open with respect to its contact 280.Said armature 279 has wire connection 281 to auxiliary low voltage bus211, and contact 280 has a wire connection 282 to brake motor 106 fromwhich there is a return wire 283 to the companion low voltage bus 212.When graphite line-marking 95 activates the first thyratron 247 as abovedescribed, said fourth relay is energized, thereby closing the circuitto the brake motor 106, and remains energized, as above explained, aslong as current flows in the thyratron and consequently longer than themomentary engagement and bridging of contacts of the pair 01 contacts98, 98', by the moving line-marking 95.

The fifth relay 251 functions to close and open the circuit controllingflow of current to the roller actuating motor 97 for the strip 23, toclose a circuit to stop said motor instantaneouly, and to close and openthe circuit operating the solenoid 117 for depresser 115, controlled bythe periods of conductivity and non-conductivity of the second thyratron248. In greater detail, said fifth relay is shown with two armatures, ofwhich one here identified as double throw armature 284, closes againstone contact 285 when the relay is not energized, at which time thearmature may be said to be in retracted position, and closes againstanother contact 286 when the relay coil is energized, and this may betermed the advanced position of the armature. This armature 284 has wireconnection 287 to main bus bar 20. Contact 285 at the retracted positionof the armature has wire connection 288 to the roller actuating motor 97that pulls the strip along the horizontal reach 37 thereof. A wire 289returns from the motor to the other main bus bar 201. The other contact286 engaged by the double-throw armature in advanced position thereofwhen the relay coil is energized, has wire connection 290 to the mainbus bar 200, but with a one-way rectifier 291 imposed in that wireconnection. Between said rectifier 291 and the roller actuating motor97, a large capacitor 292 (approximately 500 mf.) is located across themain bus bars 200, 201. By virtue of this arrangement, when saiddouble-throw armature 284 advances to close against contact 286, saidcapacitor 292 discharges across the field coil of the actuating motor 97for the strip. It is the same armature that has broken the circuit ofelectrical energy that until then was driving that motor. So by mereshift of said doublethrow armature the motor is deprived of theactuating current and practically simultaneously receives the capacitordischarge. Said discharge is short but very intense direct current, andalthough lack of driving power tends to stop the motor, and althoughbraking his taken place as above described, without said discharge therestill would be some further spin of the motor due to momentum and theuncertainty of amount of spin cannot be tolerated for exact positioningof the strip 23. The application of the impulse of the capacitordischarge, however, brings the strip actuating motor 97 to a suddenstop. Thus the strip has been advanced rapidly and stopped suddenly,following a short distance of slowdown, in exact measured distance fromits starting position.

The second armature, now identified as 293, of the said fifth relay 251has wire connection 294 to the lowvoltage bus bar 212. When the saidrelay is energized, this second armature 293 closes circuit with acontact 295 which has wire connection 296 with depresser solenoid 117, areturn wire 297 therefrom going back to the low voltage bus bar 211.

At the bottom of FIG. 15, diagrammatic showing is made of the supplyreel motor 44 in series with its switch 62 connected in parallel to thereceiving reel motor 45 and its series switch 63, arranged in parallelbetween lines 298, 299 from the main current bus bars 200, 201, andthese may be under control of a master switch 300.

In addition to the broad and specific concepts of novel structure andcombinations thereof, the invention is to be understood as also directedto unique features of method of unreeling, reeling and feeding thesensitized strip with accuracy of measured distances for the successivepositions of the strip, and inclusive of the strip having rapidadvancement, short periods of slow-down in approach to the interval ofrest, and sudden stopping at the end of the precise measured distance ofadvancement.

We claim:

1. A photo-reproduction apparatus comprising in combination with asensitized strip, and a light source and lens system constituting anexposure station at which images are produced as successive frames onsaid strip, means advancing said strip with a step-by-step motion tosuccessive exposure of frame areas of the strip at the exposure station,means precisely measuring the next ap proaching frame distance followingthe frame at the exposure station and predetermine thereby the distancefor advancement of the strip, means marking the said distance on thestrip at precisely a frame distance from the frame being exposed,thereby exactly defining the length of the next area to be exposed,means stopping the advancement of said strip prior to exposure of saidnext area precisely at the marked frame position to produce the imageframe in exact position on the strip at the exposure station, wherebyall frames are of equal and precise length at the exposure station, thesaid marking on the strip being electrically conductive and the meansadvancing said strip comprising an electric motor, and said meansstopping advancement of said strip comprising an electric circuitactivated by and successively including contacts successively engaged bysaid marking on the strip applying both a braking to rotation of themotor and a sudden stopping thereof at the said precise marked position.

2. A photo-reproduction apparatus comprising in combination with asensitized strip, and a light source and lens system constituting anexposure station at which images are produced as successive frames onsaid strip, means advancing said strip with a step-by-step motion tosuccessive exposure of frame areas of the strip at the exposure station,means precisely measuring the neXt approaching frame distance followingthe frame at the exposure station and predetermine thereby the distancefor advancement of the strip, means marking the said distance on thestrip at precisely a frame distance from the frame being exposed,thereby exactly defining the length of the next area to be exposed,means stopping the advancement of said strip prior to exposure of saidnext area precisely at the marked frame position to produce the imageframe in exact position on the strip at the exposure station, wherebyall frames are of equal and precise length at the exposure station, thesaid marking on the strip being electrically conductive and the meansadvancing said strip comprising an electric motor, and said meansstopping advancement of said strip comprising an electric circuitactivated by and successively including contacts successively engaged bysaid marking on the strip applying both a braking to rotation of themotor and a sudden stopping thereof at the said precise marked position,and a depresser located on the apparatus at the opposite face of thestrip from the face having said marking for enforcing engagement of saidmarking with said contacts.

3. A photo-reproduction apparatus comprising in combination with asensitized strip, and a source of light and lens system constituting anexposure station at which images are produced as successive frames onsaid strip, a driving motor advancing said strip with a step-by-stepmotion to successive exposure of frame areas of the strip at theexposure station, means precisely measuring and applying an electricallyconductive marking on said strip at the distance of the next approachingframe following the frame at the exposure station, contacts contiguousto said strip engaging said marking on passage of said marking thereatduring advancement of said strip, braking means for said motor, and anelectric circuit completed by and including said marking conductingelectric current controlling said motor and controlling said brakingmeans and effecting a controlled stopping of the strip with a framelocated precisely at said exposure station.

4. An apparatus in accordance with claim 3, wherein means is provided indirect opposition to and on the opposite side of the strip from saidcontacts, enforcing engagement of said marking against said contacts onadvancement of said strip.

5. An apparatus in accordance with claim 3, wherein said braking meanscomprises a shaded pole motor mechanically coupled to said drivingmotor.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS- 2,172,330 9/39Bryce 8824 2,199,708 5/40 Maxfield 22624 X 2,202,127 5/40 Tondreau 226102,657,613 11/53 Maker et al 88-24 2,735,335 2/56 Shaw 8824 2,737,3863/56 Reher 226l7 2,782,678 2/57 Taylor 88-24 2,801,102 7/57 Walter etal. 22617 2,888,260 5/59 Schowerer et al 22610 2,904,275 9/59 Selsted etal 24255.12 2,928,328 3/60 Klein 75 2,959,369 11/ 60 House 242-55.123,059,530 10/62 Groak 8824 NORTON ANSHER, Primary Examiner. EMIL G.ANDERSON, Examiner.

1. A PHOTO-REPRODUCTION APPARATUS COMPRISING IN COMBINATION WITH ASENSITIZED STRIP, AND A LIGHT SOURCE AND LENS SYSTEM CONSTITUTING ANEXPOSURE STATION AT WHICH IMAGES ARE PRODUCED AS SUCCESSIVE FRAMES ONSAID STRIP, MEANS ADVANCING SAID STRIP WITH A STEP-BY-STEP MOTION TOSUCCESSIVE EXPOSURE OF FRAME AREAS OF THE STRIP AT THE EXPOSURE STATION,MEANS PRECISELY MEASURING THE NEXT APPROACING FRAME DISTANCE FOLLOWINGTHE FRAME AT THE EXPOSURE STATION AND PREDETERMINE THEREBY THE DISTANCEFOR ADVANCEMENT OF THE STRIP, MEANS MARKING THE SAID DISTANCE ON THESTRIP AT PRECISELY A FRAME DISTANCE FROM THE FRAME BEING EXPOSED,THEREBY EXACTLY DEFINING THE LENGTH OF THE NEXT AREA TO BE EXPOSED,MEANS STOPPING THE DVANCEMENT OF SAID STRIP PRIOR TO EXPOSURE OF SAIDNEXT AREA PRECISELY AT THE MARKED FRAME POSITION TO PRODUCE THE IMAGEFRAME IN EXACT POSITION ON THE STRIP AT THE EXPOSURE STATION, WHEREBYALL FRAMES ARE OF EQUAL AND PRECISE LENGTH AT THE EXPOSURE STATION, THESAID MARKING ON THE STRIP BEING ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE AND THE MEANSADVANCING SAID STRIP COMPRISING AN ELECTRIC MOTOR, AND SAID MEANSSTOPPING ADVANCEMENT OF SAID STRIP COMPRISING AN ELECTRIC CIRCUITACTIVATED BY AND SUCCESSIVELY INCLUDING CONTACTS SUCCESSIVELY ENGAGED BYSAID MARKING ON THE STRIP APPLYING BOTH A BRAKING TO ROTATION OF THEMOTOR AND A SUDDEN STOPPING THEREOF AT THE SAID PRECISE MARKED POSITION.